Facial masks depicting characters are very popular for amusement purposes, especially around certain celebrations, such as Halloween, Mardi Gras, Chinese New Year, and private events, like birthday parties, bachelor parties, political campaigns, sports competitions, etc. Many children wear costumes and even partial costumes to play “make believe” and to emulate superhero characters. Typically, the mask and/or hood function to disguise the user and, with children, of also allowing the child to emulate the superhero character. Such superhero characters have, traditionally, tried to disguise their true persona or identity when not in their costume and that can only be done if the superhero wears a mask or concealing hood when performing their super deeds.
Typically, a mask is dedicated to one character, e.g., a superhero, and after interest wanes in such character the mask is not useful or fun to the user. Thus, it is desirable to have a light weight face covering mask that can be selectively changed to emulate different characters or superheroes.
Additionally, known masks require fairly large openings in the eye area to allow visibility. When the mask depicts a particular character, these openings have a defacing effect, as the eyes are the most defining facial feature of any character's identity. Reducing the size of the openings to enhance appearance only decreases visibility, resulting in a serious safety issue. Additionally, most masks create a tunnel vision effect that offer, at best, only minimal peripheral vision. Thus, it is desirable to have a light weight face covering mask that provides enhanced vision, particularly peripheral vision through the mask.
The following US patent references may be relevant to this invention:
US 2015/0143604 to Mizrahi discloses a costume that includes a T-shirt, a cape, hood and a mask components wherein the components are secured to each other yet selectively detachable.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,926,391 to Rodriguez discloses a mask that is printed on a flexible substrate material with facial features. Clear areas are provided that do not have any printing thereon to permit the user to see through the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,654,575 to Haag discloses a personalized book that includes a list of interview information to be obtained from a child.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,654,967 to Haar discloses a therapy apparel to assist in therapy sessions with children diagnosed with sensory integration dysfunction and impaired motor development. The apparel includes a top, trunks, a cape and a close-fitting headgear. The headgear has padded sides and a chin strap. A series of individual accouterments can be placed on the headgear at the discretion of the child.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,221 to Yang discloses a doll face wherein the head is a blank featureless face surface formed of a washable material. A stencil mask is provided with apertures. A number of stamps are provided, each stamp corresponding to an aperture shape in the stencil mask that may be passed through the apertures to imprint a design upon the face of the doll.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,921 to Yau discloses a soft skin make-up mannequin head having a smooth, realistic surface and texture simulative of human skin. The mannequin head is accompanied by flexible, soft-skin companion mask carrying a facial configuration identical with the mannequin head. The companion mask is stretchable and elastically resilient and mountable tightly upon said make-up mannequin head and selectively removable therefrom. The make-up mannequin head and associated companion mask is intended for the teaching, training and practice of application of permanent make-up using tattoo techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,436 to Keen discloses a versatile costume system is provided including a body suit with fasteners mounted thereon and a plurality of unique masks each adapted to be worn by a user. Resilient decorative plates are provided that are equipped with fasteners that are adapted to be removably attached to those of the body suit, each of the decorative plates matching one of the masks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,124 to Mooney discloses a cosmetic template initially created by the beautician to provide a cosmetic guideline to be followed by the user to achieve the desired shading and location thereof. A formable sheet of plastic is placed onto a person's face in a heated condition and forced against the face to assume the face shape. Small circles are marked onto the formed sheet to define the various facial contour features. The sheet is then removed from the face and openings are created in the sheet along the contour lines. The sheet has an elastic band for remounting the sheet to the person's face. A marker is extended through the various openings against the face marking the contour lines created in the template onto the face.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,701 to Johnson discloses a method of making a mask which comprises molding a sculptable material, affixing the molded material to a facial form to the desired contours of the mask, applying wetted strips of plaster-impregnated gauze to the molded material, drying the wetted gauze to form a completed mask and removing the form from the mask. The finished mask may be coated with a white glue and decorated.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,353,025 to Gautreaux discloses a dressing mask of net material including a plurality of shaped pieces of material, including a single piece cut and shaped to fit the forehead and over the nose and additional pieces shaped to fit the neck line and chin, and a piece of opaque fabric material attached to the net material to cover the lips.